This invention relates to an ergonomic workstation and, more particularly, to a workstation desk adapted for use with a moveable computer keyboard.
With the popularity of the Internet, the computer has become a friendly companion to people of all ages who spend hours on the computer working, learning, or browsing. Computer work is, however, also taking a toll on millions of clerical workers, causing tension in the neck and shoulders, problems with wrists, and poor blood circulation. An ergonomic workstation environment can reduce injuries, increase worker comfort, limit fatigue, and increase productivity.
Various accessories have been introduced to provide wrist and forearm support to a computer user, varying from wide and thick rubber pads or cushions to forearm support devices that can be attached to the workstation surfaces. A significant problem with such pads, moreover, is that the large space they occupy practically eliminates the writing or planar working surface that otherwise would be available to the user. Attachable forearm support arms, on the other hand, are expensive, and are not practical for many individuals.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,180 discloses a forearm and wrist support with a computer mouse operating pad and a clamp for attaching the assembly to a desk. U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,002 discloses an arm and mouse support which may be mounted to the desktop or to a desk drawer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,150 discloses an armchair with a forearm support. U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,100 discloses a lower arm suspension which enables the device to follow the limited working movement of the hand, and may be either stationary during use or may move about the work surface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,292 discloses a computer desk with a moveable lower shelf positioned below an upper shelf for receiving another part of the computer. The lower shelf may move outwardly from the desk such that a portion of the lower shelf extends the total desk top surface. While the elevated frontal section may provide forearm support, the keyboard cannot practically be moved closer to the user while still providing wrist support.
The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, and an improved ergonomic workstation is hereinafter disclosed. The concepts of the present invention may be used to manufacture a desk or other workstation with the improvements, but also may be added to an existing desk or workstation.
In one embodiment, a two part desktop surface comprises a fixed forward wrist support and a moveable forearm support. The forearm support may be in the shape of a slidable plate or tray, which may be slid forward for positioning against the wrist support with the keyboard rearward of the forearm support, and may alternatively be slid rearward so that the keyboard is positioned between the wrist support and the forearm support. Some users, such as children, may be unable to reach deep into the desk and may choose to place the keyboard against the wrist support. To provide forearm support, however, the forearm support may be moved forward against the wrist support, and the keyboard placed behind the forearm support. In this latter position, the forearm support also provides an additional writing surface or work surface when needed. Consequently, high flexibility to switch between a nested keyboard in the front or behind the wrist support is provided to satisfy individual preferences. The forearm support may be mounted on slides or rails. A computer monitor conventionally may be provided on a top surface of the desk or workstation.
In another embodiment, an articulating workstation assembly is provided for mounting to a desk. The moveable workstation assembly has a lower shelf for storing the keyboard when in one position, and an upper forward shelf for the forearm support or for writing. The upper and lower shelves may overlap for easy storage of the workstation assembly under the desktop. The folded feature of the shelves also allows the assembly to be used in a conventional manner, with a keyboard on the upper shelf and resting against a wrist support. The moveable shelf assembly may also be positioned so that the keyboard is supported on the lower rearward shelf, with the upper forward shelf providing a forearm support. The upper shelf may include a sheet formed from a transparent material, such as glass or plastic, which may be used to cover printed material, such as instructions or family pictures, on the lower plate.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a computer desk with a tray having a keyboard supporting surface spaced below a desktop surface, a wrist support secured to a forward end of the tray and having an upper wrist support surface spaced above the keyboard supporting surface, and a forearm support slidably moveable above the keyboard supporting surface, such that the forearm support is rearward of the keyboard when the keyboard is in the forward position, and the forearm support is between the wrist support and the keyboard when the keyboard is in the rearward position.
It is another object of the invention to provide an articulating workstation assembly including an articulating arm attached to the desk and a workstation assembly supported on the free end of the articulating arm. The workstation assembly includes a lower shelf secured to the free end of the articulating arm, and an upper shelf slidably moveable relative to the lower shelf. A wrist support is positioned on a forward end of the upper shelf.
It is a feature of the present invention that the tray and the upper keyboard surface supporting thereon may be slidably moveable relative to the desktop, but in an alternate embodiment may be fixed relative to the desktop.
It is a further feature of the invention that guide members may be provided on the right side and the left side of the forearm support for guiding the sliding movement of the forearm support with respect to the tray. A tongue and groove arrangement may thus be provided for sliding the forearm support relative to this tray, and optionally for sliding the tray relative to the desk.
A further feature of the invention is that the upper surface of the forearm support may be substantially parallel with an upper surface of the wrist support, thereby providing a relatively large writing or work surface when the forearm support is between the wrist support and the keyboard.
For the embodiment which includes an articulating arm, the workstation assembly preferably includes a left side guide plate and a right side guide plate for guiding movement of the upper shelf with respect to the lower shelf. The tongue and groove arrangement may be provided for accomplishing this sliding movement.
It is a further feature of the invention that the upper shelf is sized to receive the keyboard when the upper shelf is positioned substantially directly above the lower shelf, and the lower shelf is sized to receive the keyboard when the upper shelf is slid forward with respect to the lower shelf, so that the upper surface of the upper shelf provides a forearm support.
A significant feature of the invention that a sheet may be placed on the upper shelf, such as the upper shelf and the sheet provide the desired forearm support when the keyboard is positioned on the lower shelf. The sheet may be transparent, such that written material may be positioned on the upper shelf and below the transparent sheet. The upper surface of the sheet and the upper surface of the wrist support may be substantially parallel, thereby providing a desired work surface.
A significant advantage of the invention is that a particular computer user is provided with increased flexibility to use the computer in a manner most comfortable for a particular computer task. A related advantage of the invention is that the slidable forearm support provides increased user comfort and reduced user stress.
Another advantage of this invention is that the cost of the invention is relatively nominal compared to the cost of a desk or other workstation, although the flexibility of utilizing the desk or workstation with a computer is greatly enhanced. A related advantage of the invention is that the forearm support may be used in conjunction with a transparent sheet so that the user may see through the sheet to the writing below the sheet.
These and further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, wherein reference is made to the figures in the accompanying drawings.